Read: John 6:51-71

The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. (v. 51)

At the center of the kingdom there is a Table. Everyone who comes to this table finds a space made just for them. All are welcomed, and when all are seated, the bread is blessed, broken, and passed from hand to hand. At this meal, strangers become family, and all are satisfied. At this meal, everybody receives fullness of life.

This kingdom is coming, but it is also here. It shows itself in flashes of light, like that miraculous meal on the hillside. When we catch glimpses of the kingdom, we are changed and our minds are renewed so we can imagine just a bit better how the world could be more like this kingdom feast.

I have seen one such meal. My neighborhood had a block party one summer night. We set long tables filled to overflowing with an array of potluck dishes. We invited everyone in the vicinity to eat and chat and play. Soon, the street was full. There were young folks and old, people with and without physical disabilities, graduate students, folks experiencing homelessness, families, and singles. There was eating, singing, and storytelling. There was soccer, four-square, and dancing. This meal was a picture of heaven to me—on this night everyone belonged to one big family. This is our heritage as people who have received the gift of God’s love and abundant life through Jesus whose death we proclaim through Communion until he comes. —Amy Curran

Prayer: Lord Jesus, may your kingdom come to this world.